what makes earthx different etx series lithium batteries ...in the event you have to charge the...

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400 burst cranking amps using Lithium Iron Phosphate cells About EarthX, Inc. EarthX, Inc. is a Colorado based engineering and manufacturing company. Our mission is to provide a better alternative to the 160 + year old lead acid technology that is lighter, more powerful and lasts longer. EarthX, Inc. is proud to be an American manufacturer and is passionate about making the best quality lithium batteries. What Makes EarthX Different Fully protected by an integrated Battery Management System that protects the cell’s from over discharge, over charge, short circuit, thermal protection and built in cell balancing to ensure charge levels are equal (balanced) 100% of the time for optimal performance and life. Currently multiple manufacturers are endorsing and using the EarthX brand. American made product. Official aftermarket battery for American Beta motorcycles from Italy. 4,000 charge cycle life versus 350 charge cycle life of a lead acid battery …. Can last up to 8 years. Torture tested to extreme temperatures (-22°F to 140°F) and vibration (2G 25hz). ETX Series Lithium Batteries When quality and performance matter, choose the only lithium battery with a fully integrated battery management system! Proudly engineered and manufactured in the USA

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Page 1: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

400 burst cranking amps using Lithium Iron Phosphate cells

About EarthX, Inc.EarthX, Inc. is a Colorado based engineeringand manufacturing company. Our mission isto provide a better alternative to the 160 +year old lead acid technology that is lighter,more powerful and lasts longer. EarthX, Inc. isproud to be an American manufacturer and ispassionate about making the best qualitylithium batteries.

What Makes EarthX Different• Fully protected by an integrated Battery

Management System that protects the cell’sfrom over discharge, over charge, shortcircuit, thermal protection and built in cellbalancing to ensure charge levels are equal(balanced) 100% of the time for optimalperformance and life.

• Currently multiple manufacturers areendorsing and using the EarthX brand.

• American made product.

• Official aftermarket battery for AmericanBeta motorcycles from Italy.

• 4,000 charge cycle life versus 350 chargecycle life of a lead acid battery …. Can lastup to 8 years.

• Torture tested to extreme temperatures(-22°F to 140°F) and vibration (2G 25hz).

ETX Series Lithium Batteries When quality and performance matter,

choose the only lithium battery with a fully

integrated battery management system!

Proudly engineered and manufactured in the USA

EarthX.Motorcycle.Brochure.092616_Layout 1 9/26/2016 5:16 PM Page 1

Page 2: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Advantages of a Lithium • Extremely light weight, 70-80% lighter than

your lead acid battery

• Very low self-discharge rate, it can hold acharge for the entire off-season (over 6months) except in bikes with continuousdraws such as a Harley.

• Environmentally friendly, no lead or acid,non poisonous, non toxic

• Maintenance free, will not corrode or sulfate

• Fast charging (as little as 30 minutes)

• Higher voltage while cranking mean fasterstarts (13.2V vs. 12.6V)

• Wide operating temperature range, will notfreeze or boil-over

• Can be mounted in any position

Dimensions (L)x(W)x(H)

Case A: 4.5 x 2.6 x 3.7in (113 x 66 x 95mm)

Case B: 5.3 x 2.6 x 4.1in (135 x 66 x 105mm)

Case C: 5.9 x 3.4 x 4.5in (150 x 86 x 115mm)

Case D: 6.9 x 3.4 x 6.1in (175 x 86 x 155mm)

Case E: 6.5 x 3.1 x 6.6in (166 x 79 x 168mm)

Case F: 5.9 x 3.4 x 3.6in (150 x 86 x 93mm)

ETX Lithium Battery SpecificationsEqAh/ Crank Amps Case

Model: Price: Volts: Ah*: (PCA/CCA): Weight: Size: Replaces:

ETX12A 12 12/4 220/135 1.3 lb (.6Kg) A YTX4L-BS, YB4L-B, 12N5-3B, YTZ5S, YT5A, YTX5L-BS, YT6A, YT7B-BS, YTX5L-BS, YTZ7S, YTX7L-BS, YB9A-A, YB7L-B, YB7-A, YTX7A-BS,YT7B-BS, YB9-B, YT9B-BS, YB9L-A2, YB10L-B2,YB-10A-A2

ETX18B 12 18/6.2 340/230 2.2 lb (1.0Kg) B YB12A-A, YT12B-BS, YT14B-BS, YTX14AHL-BS,YTX14AH-BS, YB14-B2, SYB14L, YB12AL-A2, YB16AL-A2

ETX18C 12 18/6.2 340/230 2.2 lb (1.0Kg) C YTX12-BS, YTZ12S, YTX14-BS, YTX14L-BS, YTZ14S,KMX14-BS, YTX15L-BS, YTX16-BS(1), YB16B-A

ETX18F 12 18/6.2 340/230 2.2 lb (1.0Kg) F YTX9-BS, YTZ10S, YT12A-BS

ETX24C 12 24/8 420/270 2.6 lb (1.2Kg) C YTX14H-BS, YTX20CH, GYZ16H, UPGRADE FOR ETX18C

ETX24D 12 24/8 420/270 2.6 lb (1.2Kg) D YTX20-BS, YTX20L-BS, Y50-N18L-A(CX), YB16-B, YB16CL-B, YB18-A, GYZ20L

ETX36C 12 36/12.4 680/320 3.9 lb (1.8Kg) C Upgrade for ETX18C or ETX24C, Snowmobiles

ETX36D 12 36/12.4 680/320 3.9 lb (1.8Kg) D YTX20H-BS, YTX20HL-BS, YTX24HL-BS, GYZ20HL, UB12350, Snowmobiles, UPGRADE FOR ETX24D

ETX36E 12 36/12.4 680/320 3.9 lb (1.8Kg) E 51913, 51814, YIX30L-BS, YB30L-BS, YB30L-B, Y60-N24AL-B

ETX48E 12 48/24.8 1200/600 7.7 lb (3.5Kg) E PC1200, Sports Car (less than 120A alternator)

* EqAh rating used for starter battery only, Ah rating for deep cycle

Accessories

OptiMate Lithium Battery ChargersModels TM-291 & TM-471 with BMS reset

EarthX Jump PackUSB 5V/2.1A port, 400 burst cranking amps

Quick ConnectCharging/JumpStart Cables w/SAEConnectors

EarthX.Motorcycle.Brochure.092616_Layout 1 9/26/2016 5:15 PM Page 2

Page 3: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Battery Charging

EarthX batteries can sit on the shelf for up to a year without the need to charge it due to the low self discharge rate which is about 2% a month, compared to a lead acid battery which is approximately 30% per month. (If you have the battery in a vehicle that has a constant draw, such as a Harley, and you don’t ride for a month, you will need to put the battery on a charger). After a long time of no use, it is wise to check the voltage and if it is less than 13.28V, you should charge it before start attempt.

In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that does not charge above 14.6V, will automatically turns off when the battery is fully charged (based on volts) and does not have a de-sulfate mode. Do not use any charger with voltage that pulses above 15V! This will damage the battery. If in doubt, consult the manual that comes with your charger.

For chargers with a maintenance mode, the maintenance mode voltage should be 13.3V – 13.9V. For example, the Battery Tender JR has a maintenance mode voltage of 13.3V which is compatible, whereas the original Battery Tender or Battery Tender Plus has a maintenance mode voltage of 13.2V which is too low for a lithium battery. Please read the manual that comes with your charger.

EarthX Lithium batteries have an internal Battery Management System (BMS) to disconnect the battery from the load (your vehicle) if the battery is drained too low. When the battery is “disconnected”, there is no voltage at the battery terminal. Note, some volt-meters may read a small voltage. The EarthX over-discharge protection circuit is automatically reset when a charging current/voltage is present at the battery terminals (referred to as BMS Reset).

If your battery reads near 0 volts, the over-discharge feature has been activated, thus your battery must be charged. If you left your lights on, key on, have a faulty stator, or have a parasitic drain this can easily happen. Our BMS is designed to disconnect the flow of current in the event of over-discharge (internal disconnect switch is opened). Many smart chargers will not attempt to charge a low voltage battery (below 9V). If this happens, there are several ways to charge the battery.

The easiest way is if you have a charger such as the Optimate lithium charger or one that will engage even if the battery is in this protection mode. Simply connect the alligator clips first, plug in the charger next, and the save mode will come on and start charging it. Another method is to connect your charger to the EarthX battery as normal, then put either a jump pack or another 12V charged battery in parallel with the EarthX battery so the charger will read it’s voltage and engage. Once the charger sees voltage it begins to charge as normal. After 5-20 seconds you can remove the jump pack or jumper cables (being careful not to disconnect the charger). Recharging this battery from the depleted state can take from a couple hours to overnight.

The table below shows a list of chargers, and specifically indicates chargers that will work for recharging an “over-discharged” battery. This is not an all inclusive list.

Page 4: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Manufacturer Model Safe to use BMS Reset Suggested Use

Battery Minder Any model No No

Black N Decker BM3B Yes No Use as charger

Black N Decker BC15BD No No

Christie All Models No No

CTEC Lithium US Yes Yes

CTEC No No

Deltran Battery Tender Jr Yes No

Deltran Yes No

Diehard All Models No No

Duraboost Duraboost 750, 1000 Yes No

H-D (Harley Davidson) Tender Jr Yes No

Moose Tender Jr Yes No

MotoMaster 10/2A Automatic Yes No

NOCO Genius No No

Noco Genius Lithium Yes No

ODYSSEY Ultimizer Yes No Use as charger and maintainer

Pulsetech Xtreme XC100 No No

Power Pulse PP-12-L No No

Schauer No No

Schumacher No No

TecMate/ Optimate Yes Yes

TecMate/Optimate No No

Tenergy Yes Yes

Yuasa Smart Shot 900 No No

Yuasa Smart Shot 1.5mA No No

Note: is not an all-inclusive list

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Do not use, as full time desulfinating charger

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Use as charger, maintainer and it will reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

All lead acid charger models

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Use as charger, maintainer, but will not reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

Battery Tender (original or Plus)

Can be used for charging only. Maintenance voltage is too low.

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Can be used for charging. Can not find a maintenance voltage in manual so if it is less than 13.3V, too low.

Use as charger, maintainer, but will not reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

Use as charger, maintainer, but will not reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

Use as charger, maintainer, but will not reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

All Models except the lithium specific one Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode

will damage a lithium battery

Noco Genius Lithium

Use as charger, maintainer, but will not reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Charge Master CM6A, CM12A

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Any lead acid model

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Lithium TM-471, TM-290, TM-291, TM-271, TM-485

Use as charger, maintainer and it will reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

All lead acid charger models

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

4cell LiFePO4 Smart Charger

Use as charger, maintainer and it will reset EarthX’s BMS over-discharge protection

Can be used for charging. Can not find a maintenance voltage in manual so if it is less than 13.3V, too low.

Do not use, as full time de-sulfating mode will damage a lithium battery

Page 5: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

As with any battery you are charging, follow these safety tips: Safety Tips:

Never leave the battery unattended when recharging it. When charging a battery, place it on a non-flammable, and remove any flammable items nearby. Unplug chargers always after the battery reaches full charge. Disconnect chargers from electrical outlets when these are not in use.

Page 6: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Engine Charging Systems and Use with Lithium batteries

BasicsMost charging system employed on engines for recharging the vehicle’s battery generate an alternating current (AC) with stationary coils of wire (stator), and rotating permanent magnets (see figure 1 below). The AC is then conditioned with a regulator-rectifier to create a DC current/voltagerequired for charging a battery (see figure 2 below).

Figure 1

Figure 2

Most modern charging systems actually create 3 phase AC power which is then rectified and regulated to create DC charging current / voltage (widespread use since the 1980s). The use of threephase AC creates a DC voltage with less ripple (see the Figure 3 below, green line is DC output).

Page 7: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Figure 3

The AC producing coils are always trying to put out the same amount of power at a given RPM, which creates a problem when the battery is fully charged. Much like a hose filling a pail of water, if something is drawing water from the pail at the same rate it is entering it will not over flow, but ifthe water keeps coming in with none being taken out, it will over fill.

The regulator rectifier prevents overfilling a battery by shunting the coils, thus limiting the system voltage to acceptable limits (generally 14.2 to 14.6V). See the clipped voltage output of a 3 phase system in Figure 4 below (green line).

Figure 4

The battery’s purpose in the system is the energy storage “bank”, a power source for starting and operating equipment when the engine is not running or at low RPM such as idle speed. Most systems do not charge the battery at idle for the output voltage is too low. This is particularly true for LiFePO4 lithium batteries with a resting voltage of 13.2V.

Page 8: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

A typical motorcycle charging system is shown in Figure 5 below.

Figure 5

Lithium Battery (LiFePO4) Charging Waveform Recommendation

The idea DC profile for charging a LiFePO4 battery is a AC ripple with a frequency > 5kHz and a AC ripple voltage magnitude < 10% (<1.5V). But in the real world, frequency > 500Hz and AC ripple voltage magnitude <1.5V is acceptable. The voltage ripple amplitude within the cell decreases with increasing frequency for the cell does not have time to react to the change in charge current, due to short time period with higher frequencies. At frequencies below 5 kHz and high amplitude ripple voltage, the resultant charging current ripple introduces heating in the cells due to the cell resistance (IR losses). Note the “and” in the previous statement, for this is the worst case situation when both are out of ideal ranges. Of the two, low frequency and high ripple amplitude, anAC voltage ripple magnitude >1.4V causes more heating. Oxidization of the transitional metal can occur with high AC ripple voltage charging at higher currents (> 1C). The oxidation of LiFePO4 occurs at cathode and higher temperatures only speed up the oxidation. The free oxygen (as a result of the oxidation) is then free to react with addition lithium causing further increases to the temperature. If not caught quickly enough, this results in permanent cell damage, and if uncorrected, thermal runaway can result.

Are Vintage Single Phase (or Magneto type) Charging SystemsAcceptable for Charging a Lithium Battery?

The quick answer is no, and here is why. Take for example, the Rotax 503 engine designed with points ignition and pull-starting. It uses a single coil (named magneto for permanent magnet construction) within the stator for auxiliary lighting power and battery charging. Since it is a single coil, it will produce one AC waveform per revolution of the engine (see Figure 6 below for an installation example of this type coil)

Page 9: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Figure 6

Figure 7

The Rotax engine also has a regulator-rectifier has shown in Figure 7 above (part 866-080).

The regulated/ rectifier voltage output of this particular Rotax system is shown in Figure 8 below. Note, the DC output has a low frequency (two pulses per engine revolution, 33Hz at 2000RPM) andhigh amplitude ripple (full charging output 14.5V).

Figure 8

To compensate for the poor charging voltage Rotax recommended a large 16Ah lead acid battery to

Page 10: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

act as a buffer, and in some cases a capacitor to smooth the DC voltage. This DC charging voltage while not ideal for a large lead acid battery was acceptable.

This type charging voltage is not acceptable for a lithium battery for its large AC ripple at low frequency (< 5kHz and >1.4V) will damage the cells due to heating and plating (see the above section for lithium battery charging requirements).

Not all older Rotax engines charging systems are the same. The example given above is for a Rotax 503. The Rotax 582 engine (per the Rotax manual) has a flywheel generator with 12 permanent magnets and 8 coils, so it’s charging voltage would be vastly better with higher frequency (> 200 Hz at 2,000RPM) and less ripple amplitude.

Are Automotive / Airplane Alternator Charging Systems Acceptable for Charging a Lithium Battery?

Yes they are. Modern alternator construction differs from the magneto type charging system presented above, for they are typically three phase with multiple magnetic poles so the output voltage is similar to that shown in Figure 3 and 4. The higher frequency AC is a result of having more magnetic poles (typical is >500Hz at 2,000 RPM) and the three phase coil arrangement with three phase rectification produces lower ripple voltage (typical is <1.5V). An alternator uses battery/internal power to create a magnetic field (electro-magnet) within the rotor (rotating part) versus using a permanent magnet, and the voltage output level is regulated by varying the rotor’s magnetic field. This is a much more efficient method for excess charging voltage/current is not wasted in the form of heat. An alternator’s design offers an additional benefit in that the peak outputcurrent is self-limiting, for the maximum charging current is typically demanded when the battery isdepleted and voltage is low. But when the battery voltage is low, the resulting magnetic field within the rotor will also be lower, and as such the alternator output will be lower. Figure 9 shows a typicalalternator charging system. [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="full" ids="2956"]

Are Automotive / Airplane DC Generator Charging Systems Acceptable for Charging a Lithium Battery?

In most all cases, Yes. Modern DC Generator construction differs from the alternator explanation above, for the output is DC by design (no rectifier circuit). Typically, the construction of a DC generator is the reverse of an alternator, where the coils are on the rotating part (armature) and the magnetic field is on the stationary part. The DC output is created directly by using a commutator to capture each coil’s voltage at the same polarity and amplitude. The voltage output level is regulated by varying the magnetic field. Generators do have a residual magnetism (like a permanent magnet), so they can output charge current even without a battery. Due to the residual magnetism and the regulator design, users should be aware that excessively high charge currents may be seen after engine startup and above rated speed when the battery is at a low state of charge (drained battery).

Page 11: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

26.4V system using 13.2V batteries

Basics

Battery packs are designed by connecting multiple cells in series; each cell adds its voltage to the battery’s terminal voltage. Figure 1 below shows a typical EarthX 13.2V LiFePO4 starter battery cell configuration.

Figure 1

Batteries may consist of a combination of series and parallel connections. Cells in parallel increasedcurrent handling; each cell adds to the ampere-hour (Ah) total of the battery The EarthX ETX680 is an example of a series and parallel configuration. The ETX680 configuration, 13.2V / 12.4Ah, is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

A weaker cell in series connected cells would cause an imbalance. This is especially critical in a series configuration because a battery is only as strong as the weakest cell (analogous to the weak link in the chain). A weak cell may not fail immediately but may be drained (voltage dropping below a safe level, 2.8V per cell) more quickly than the strong ones when discharging. On charge, the weak cell may fill up before the healthy ones and be over-charged (voltage exceeding 3.9V per

Lithium Battery Series Parallel Operation

Page 12: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

cell). Unlike the weak link in a chain analogy, a weak cell causes stress on the other healthy cells in a battery. Cells in multi-packs must be matched, especially when exposed to high charge and discharge currents. Figure 3 below shows an example of a battery with a weak cell.

Figure 3

Battery Management System (BMS) Cell ProtectionA BMS continuously monitors each cell’s voltage. If the voltage of a cell exceeds the others, the BMS circuits will work to reduce that cell’s charge level. This ensures that the charge level of all the cells remains equal, even with the high discharge (> 100Amps) and charge current (>10Amps).

A cell can be permanently damaged if over-charged (over-voltage) or over-discharged (drained) justone time. The BMS has circuitry to block charging if the voltage exceeds 15.5 volts (or if any cell’s voltage exceeds 3.9V). The BMS also disconnects the battery from the load if it is drained to less than 5% remaining charge (an over-discharge condition). An over-discharged battery typically has a voltage less than 11.5V (< 2.8V per cell).

Multiple Batteries in Series and or Parallel (each battery with its own BMS)

EarthX’s 13.2V batteries may be used in series and or parallel to achieve higher operating voltages and or capacities for your specific application. It is important to use the same battery model with equal voltage and capacity (Ah) and never to mix batteries of a different age.

Unless stated otherwise, EarthX batteries are approved for use in up to a two series and or two parallel operations, with no additional external electronics. This restriction is applied due to the fact that impedance, capacity, or self-discharge rates between cells may vary. The restriction allows for normal variations in one battery without adversely affecting the other battery. Additionally, the restriction and operating limits allows for abnormal conditions, such as weak or failing cell in one battery. Note, that the ratings for a specific battery are different when it is used in a series operation.See section below “Maximum Safe Operating Limits” for battery ratings.

The wire and connectors used to make the series/parallel array of batteries shall be sized for the currents expected.

Do not connect ETX series lithium batteries with other chemistry batteries.

Page 13: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Parallel Operation

Figure 4

Like individual cells, you can combine batteries together in parallel to achieve higher energy/power (amp-hours, amps). Up to two batteries can be put in parallel. To combine batteries in parallel, connect positive to positive and negative to negative as shown in Figure 4 right.

Series Operation

Our batteries can be connected in series to increase the operating voltages. Two batteries can be used in series with a nominal system voltage of 26.4V (a single battery’s voltage is 13.2V). See the example below for series wiring (Figure 5).

Figure 5

Series / Parallel Operation

Below is the approved series and parallel configuration (Figure 6). The batteries are wired as two separate series battery paths, meaning there is no cross ties between the centers of the two separate paths. Figure 7 shows an incorrect connection with a cross tie between the centers of the two separate series paths.

Page 14: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Figure 6

Figure 7

Maximum Safe Operating Limits

Based on extensive testing and knowledge of the cells and BMS design, our battery’s nameplate ratings are de-rated when used in parallel and or series configurations. For example, the normal maximum charging voltage for a single battery is 14.6V, but when two batteries are put in series the combined normal maximum charging voltage is reduced to 28.8V. When two batteries are put in parallel the continuous discharge amp rating and charge amp rating is typically reduced to 90% of the two batteries’ combined rating.

Not Correct

Page 15: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Our ETX series batteries have the capability of extremely high discharge rates and charge rates. However, when our batteries are connected in series and or parallel we recommend you don’t exceed the values shown in Table 1 below. Please contact us for applications using battery models not shown in this document.

Table 1

Series / Parallel Operation and Fault Indication

Each ETX hundred series battery requires its own remote fault indication LED. The 12V LED is connected across the battery’s positive terminal and the remote fault indicator wire (pigtail wire out the side of the battery), see Figure 8 below. Connecting the remote fault indicator to an EFIS is not an option in any series configuration (12V LED light is the only option).

Page 16: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Figure 8

Page 17: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Sealed Lead Acid / Lithium Equivalent Ah

A lithium battery can use 100% of its storage capability (measured as Amp-Hour, Ah),

while a lead-acid battery for starting applications (not a deep cycle) typically only uses

30%. Lithium battery’s cranking power does not drop-off because of its flat discharge

curve, so a smaller Ah battery can actually crank your engine longer.

Here is the background information, math and testing!

What is an Ah-hour?

A typical Amp Hour specification might read, “100 AH @ 20HR”.

The specification is saying that the battery will provide 100 Ah over a 20 hour period, at rate of 5 amps (100Ah/20hr = 5 amps).

These slow discharge rates are a good measure for “deep cycle” batteries used for storage, but not a good measure for “starter” batteries, because starter batteries typically have discharge current in the hundreds or amps!

Below is the specification for the Yuasa YTX series batteries. Notice the YTX14 is only a 12Ah battery for 10 hour discharge (very slow discharge rate).

Page 18: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

What is depth of discharge?

Depth of discharge is an expression of what percent of a batteries capacity (Ah) has

been used. So for example, if the YTX14 in the example above had 6Ah of energy

used of the 12Ah total capacity, you would say the depth of discharge was 50%

(% used / 100%).

Lead acid battery manufacturers design batteries with different specifications, for

different applications. For example, typical lead acid energy storage batteries are

designed for 50 – 80% depth of discharge. Which means you can use 50 – 80% of the

total available energy in the battery. Typical lead acid engine starting batteries are

designed for 20-50% depth of discharge. The difference in the ratings has to do with

the construction of the battery, like the thickness of the lead plates. A lead acid starter

battery will not be reliable for deep discharging.

Below is an excerpt from a lead acid battery manufacturer’s documentation. Here it

states that a typical starter battery is rated at 20% depth of discharge!

How does discharge rates effect lead acid batteries Ah?

Page 19: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

At a high rate of discharge, like cranking an engine, the voltage of a lead acid battery

drops significantly. This is a problem if you are trying to start a vehicle because most

modern vehicle with electronic ignition require 10.5V or more. The Society of

Automotive engineers states that voltage below 9.3V is unusable for starting a vehicle.

Below is a graph from Yuasa showing a 25A discharge curve of an YTX4. So at a 25A

discharge rate, at room temperature, the battery voltage drops below 9.3V within 3

minutes of use, and a small fraction of consumed Ah.

A common misconception about lead acid batteries and in particular lead acid

batteries designed for starting vehicles is that usable Ah does not change

depending on the use. The reality is, usable Ah is dependent on the

discharge rate. That means the usable Ah of an YTX4 is different at 2A, as it

is at 25A, as it is at 80A. The mathematical equation that explains this non-

linearity is Peukert’s Law.

Page 20: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

So what would an YTX4’s (4Ah rated starter battery) usable Ah be if calculated using a

typical starting current like 80A.

T=10(3/(80A*10))^1.15=.016hr OR 80A for .021Hr = 1.29Ah

So as a starter battery designed for 80A starting currents, the YTX4 only has 1.3Ah that

is usable.

What about a deep cycle battery rated for 80% depth of discharge, like the popular

Odyssey PC680? The PC680s rated Ah is 18, but that is at a very low discharge rate

(20 hour rate). At a more commonly used discharge rate like 10 hour rate, it is only

rated at 12.8Ah, and at a 1 hour rate it is less than 12Ah output. For example the An

Page 21: What Makes EarthX Different ETX Series Lithium Batteries ...In the event you have to charge the battery, use a Lithium (LiFePO4) battery charger or a lead-acid battery charger that

Odyssey PC680 (18 Ah rating) has less usable Ah than an ETX36C (12.4 Ah rating),

when discharged in less 2 hours.

Is a lithium battery Ah effected by discharge rate?

The answer is, yes, but very little. As you can see in the curve below for a typical

2.3Ah lithium iron phosphate battery, the discharge curve is very flat and the discharge

voltage profiles for low current and high current discharge are tightly grouped.

Typically 92 to 100% of the Ah is usable. Another characteristic of a lithium battery

that is an advantage in this respect is that they heat up during discharge, which lowers

the internal resistance to hold the terminal voltage up. Finally, a lithium battery has a

higher nominal resting voltage (13.3V vs 12.9 of AGM) which is also a benefit when it

comes to usable energy (discharge current with voltage above 9.3V). Peukert's law

could be used but the exponent would be near 1.

Conclusions

A lead acid starter battery Ah rating is not as it would appear. Given the two facts;

limited depth of discharge rating per the manufacturer (limited by design life testing),

and Peukert’s law, only ~30% of the Ah is usable. Also given the fact that 95% of a

lithium batteries Ah is usable, a lithium battery that is 1/3 the Ah rating of a lead acid is

actually equivalent. So a 4Ah lithium battery could be considered to be equivalent to a

12Ah lead acid, thus the justification for EqAh up to 3 times the true Ah.